A joint raid by the special task force of Bengal police and Jalpaiguri district police unearthed an illegal firearm making unit at a village near Kaliachak in Malda district on Saturday.
Mohammed Farukh Alam and Mohammed Azam from Munger in Bihar were arrested. The STF and the Kaliachak police seized a number of finished and semi-finished firearms, live bullets, magazines and several equipment during the raid.
The police said local resident Humayan Sheikh was the kingpin of the racket involved in the manufacture and sale of firearms.
“Humayan had been arrested by Malda district police in 2015 and last year. He had been once arrested in Murshidabad also. But after securing bail, Humayan continued with his illegal business,” said Alok Rajoria, the superintendent of police of Malda.
Sources said Sheikh used to run a similar arms making unit at his own home earlier. But after his arrest, Sheikh took on rent a building owned by his neighbour Rakibul Sheikh and and opened a similar unit there.
“Rakibul, in turn, was offered a higher amount than the usual rent so that illegal activities could be carried out. Along with Humayan, we are in search of Rakibul and need to interrogate him,” a police officer said.
The police also came to know that Humayan used to sell the firearms — mostly improvised seven mm pistols — with bullets and magazines to buyers in the neighbouring districts of North Dinajpur, South Dinajpur and Murshidabad.
“He has a steady network of buyers in these three districts. He avoided selling his products in Malda so that he doesn’t come under our radar,” the officer said.
The cop said the improvised pistols had a steady demand in the clandestine market. The pistol is made at a cost of around Rs 10,000 and sold at Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000.
“The arrested men were brought from Munger to make the firearms,” the cop said .
Senior officials of the district police and the STF have decided to send a team to Munger.